Inauguration of the PLASMAVIE Plasma Donor Lounge

A first in Québec, a one-of-a-kind concept!

Trois-Rivières, December 12, 2013 – Trois-Rivières is home to a Québec first. Local donors, who are already deeply committed to giving blood, are now being invited to donate plasma, a blood product in high demand across the province. As such, they are urged to visit the brand-new PLASMAVIE Plasma Donor Lounge, the first facility of its kind.

From left to right : Yves Lévesque, Mayor of Trois-Rivières, Lucie Letendre, General Manager Centre de santé et de services sociaux de Trois-Rivières and member of the Board of Directors, Héma-Québec, Martine Carré, Chair of the Board of Directors, Héma-Québec, Dr. Jean De Serres, President and Chief Executive Officer, Héma-Québec and Marco Décelles, Vice-president and Chief Operating Officer, Héma-Québec.

Héma-Québec established PLASMAVIE to strengthen its own supply of plasma and reduce its reliance on imported products. The centre is dedicated exclusively to the collection of plasma via apheresis donation, a technique that takes only the desired components from a donor’s blood. Plasma can be donated every six days, and the procedure collects a greater volume of plasma than whole blood donation.

“One of the reasons Trois-Rivières was selected for this project was the significant support shown by the community and city officials. People here are faithful donors and strong believers in the importance of blood donation,” said Dr. Jean De Serres, President and CEO of Héma-Québec. “Those who go to PLASMAVIE will not only enjoy a pleasant donation experience, they will also be doing their part to build up Québec’s supply of plasma, which is used in the production of medications.”

Give plasma. Give life.

Plasma is the liquid portion of blood in which red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets are suspended. Separating plasma from whole blood makes it possible to isolate and purify key proteins that are then used to produce drugs for patients with a weak immune system, as well as treat a dozen or so other conditions, including several neurological disorders. The end result has a tremendous impact on recipients like two-year-old Nelly, who can lead a normal life because of plasma-based drugs.

“Nelly was diagnosed with an immune disorder in March 2013,” explained Nelly’s mother, Caroline Lupien, a Trois-Rivières resident. “Her general health was very poor, and she kept getting sick all the time. Since July, she has been receiving immunoglobulin injections, and the impact has been huge. She’s back in daycare now and she’s almost never sick. Plasma-based immunoglobulin therapy has made all the difference for us.”

Héma-Québec has enjoyed the support of the City of Trois-Rivières in bringing this trailblazing project to life. “I have been working with Héma-Québec since 2002 as the ambassador of the mayor’s blood drive. Last year, the City enthusiastically embraced the idea of setting up a Plasma Donor Lounge. Héma-Québec is like a second family to me and I have nothing but respect and admiration for them,” asserted Trois-Rivières Mayor Yves Lévesque.

For more information on the PLASMAVIE Plasma Donor Lounge, go to www.plasmavie.ca or call 1-888-666-HEMA (4362), extension 408.

About Héma-Québec

Héma-Québec's mission is to efficiently provide adequate quantities of safe, optimal blood components, substitutes, human tissues and cord blood to meet the needs of all Quebecers; to provide and develop expertise along with specialized and innovative services and products in the fields of transfusion medicine and human tissue transplantation.

Héma-Québec encompasses 1,300 employees, over 300,000 donor visits to blood drives per year, 16,000 volunteers and more than 500,000 blood products delivered annually to Québec hospitals to meet the needs of patients.